Summer Vacation
by Karen19
Summary: School essays and Harm, Two assignments that give us, and his teacher, insight into the individual. June 2014 challenge piece on HBX site. Now Complete.
1. Chapter 1

June 2014 Challenge on Harmy Board Extras website

September 1977

LaJolla, California

To the students in Ms. (not Miss) Crenshaw's Homeroom/English Class they were given an assigment that would be turned in at the end of the period, never mind that it was the first day of school. "What I did over the Summer".

Didn't the teachers have anything else to do on the first day of school. Every yeaer it seemed like it was the question teachers asked.

Ms. Crenshaw noted that there was a new student, LaJolla Preparatory was small enough that you recognized students, even if they were not in your class. The young teen was tall, easily the tallest boy in the class, and she presumed that when he grew up he would be very handsome. She was able to get the class settled in some semblance of order and told then to get pen and paper out and write an essay about their summer. Several of the students who were siblings of previous students, and she had an idea of who would be decent students and who be troublemakers. There were always a few who didn't live up, or down to her first impressions.

Her next period was free so she got to work looking at the essays, at least today she wouldn't be strict regarding spelling and grammar, as they had no chance to proofread their essays before turning the assignment in to her.

As she surmised, she could almost tell what the student would say by their last name. Certain families were members of the country club and those were students who spent the majority of their days at either the beach or at the 'club'. Other students had spent the majority of their summer at one camp or another. Those were the students she almost felt sorry for; didn't their family take a family vacation. She had fond memories of her family taking yearly vacations despite her father's position as president of the local bank in her hometown.

The new student, a Harmon Rabb, Junior. (He was quite emphatic about the junior part) had an intriguing tale, and it gave her insight into his life.

My Summer by Harmon Rabb, Junior

School got out about the normal time, the third week of June, then Mom and I packed the house, getting ready to move. I didn't want to move, but mom was going to marry HIM, and we were moving to La Jolla, so I had no choice. Thankfully we aren't moving to his place, but a new place, a house that overlooks the ocean, big deal, whoopie. My Mom met HIM at work, she works at some hoity toity gallery. She said she was still going to work there even after their wedding, and HE's okay with it.

Dad wouldn't have been, he would have said. "Trish, I can take care of both of you and the boy, if you want to do something, volunteer." Trish is my Mom's name. My dad, he's MIA, that means missing in action, he went down December 24, 1969 somewhere in Vietnam. We thought he might have been a POW, that means Prisoner of War, but he didn't come back with the others at the end of the war, so Mom started the process to declare him dead. I KNOW THAT MY DAD IS ALIVE! But NO ONE believes me.

After the wedding, they went on their precious honeymoon, and I went to my Grandmother's for most of the rest of the summer. She lives in Bellsville, Pennsylvania, and has a farm. She was not as mad at my Mom for betraying her son as I am. but that may be because Grandma lost my Grandfather when my dad was really small. He died during World War Two in the Pacific. He was an aviator, just like my dad. And I am going to take lessons as soon as I am old enough.

On the farm, Grandma let me do a lot of the work, not the stuff with motors, because she doesn't want me to get hurt, but I cleaned the barn and all that sh,

stuff that goes along with cleaning a barn. I had to get the eggs from the chickens and believe me that was not fun. They are sure cranky animals, people don't realize.  
After all my chores and the stuff Grandma wanted me to do to earn some spending money my day was free. Sometimes I swam in the creek with some of the other kids in the area. We went horseback riding at the Mitchell place, and I went with them, I meant the Mitchells, when they went camping. I think that was when Grandma got a little fed up with me complaining about Mom and HIM.

We did some traveling while I was there. Grandma and I went to Gettysburg, and Lancaster, and Philadelphia. Grandma and I also went to the county fair. It was in the town of Stillwater. I had fun, despite the fact that Grandma didn't want me to go on many rides. I had to chose the three I could go on. At the fair, there was this one guy, he looks like's right out of high school. He was beating me at the shooting gallery-Grandma was okay with that one-he said he's going to join the Marine's and he wants to become a sniper. I told him that I was planning on going to the Naval Academy. Who knows, maybe we'll meet up someday. Despite the fact he's a lot older than me, I'll be his boss, since he's enlisting, and with going to the Academy I'll be an officer. When we left the fair we went to the general store there to get some pills for Grandma, she was out and by the time we'd get back to Bellsville the store would be closed. The guy who runs the store looks just like the dad on The Walton's Turns out the guy who beat me at the shooting gallery is his son. He came into the store right before we left.  
Getting into the Academy means that i have to, as Mom puts it. "stay out of trouble, keep your grades up, and stay out of trouble" Why Mom said that twice I don't know, but she was saying that long before HE came into the picture.

I enjoyed my time in Pennsylvania. I do have to admit that I like the view of the ocean from my bedroom, its a whole lot better than where we lived after Dad's plane was shot down. I'd rather live in a studio apartment with my Mom and my Dad, but until I can prove that Dad's alive there isn't anything I can do about that.

There aren't that many kids my age in our neighborhood, and I think my Mom plans on getting me involved in sports, and I might still be in Scouts, need to see what troops they have around here first. The good thing about HIM, he has a boat, and is planning to teach me how to sail. That I will do with HIM, but  
I'm not going to call HIM Dad.

Ms. Crenshaw noted that Harmon had a good grasp of the language, and that some of what he was dealing with was normal for his age. She was a little worried about his obsession with finding his father, but if he hadn't been located by now, it was highly likely that he was dead. If Harmon wanted to get into on of the military academies he would be a good student. It was the one good thing she had to say about the military academies. She'd protested during the war, even though she'd kept a low profile about it, as she didn't want to jeopardize her teaching career.

When she had a chance she planned to go to the office, and check on Harmon Rabb's records and find out who his stepfather was. She had the feeling she knew who it might be. She'd spent the summer in Honduras visiting her best friend from high school who was working there. Therefore she missed out on her Uncle Frank's wedding. He was getting remarried, after his wife's death in an automobile accident. Frank and new family would be moving to the La Jolla area after the wedding. She'd sent congratulations, but wanted to look him up for a short visit, now that he lived in the same town. Having a few minutes left in her free period, she decided to check on the new student's records. To her amazement she confirmed that she was related to this student. And from the essay she knew he would not appreciate that fact. She knew her uncle Frank, and given time she knew that her student would grow to at least like her uncle.


	2. Chapter 2

Nettie requested another chapter, so this especially for her. September 2005 London, England

"How was school? Any different than back in Virginia? Harm asked Mattie as she entered the house on the outskirts of London. It was her first day of school and Harm intentionally had left work early to be home upon her arrival.

"Other than no boys, not much different than any other first day of school I've had. In fact it was kinda like my first day in DC, didn't know anybody in any of my classes. Harm, English teachers, the world over, have to get original, we have to write a 'what I did over the summer essay and turn it in tomorrow. At least mine will be easy to write about: going to your wedding, the move to England, and literally getting back on my feet. The only problem I'll have it keeping it to the required three pages that my teacher wants." Mattie explained. "I'm going to get out of this uniform. It's been one day, but now I know why you, Mac, Jennifer and the Roberts' occasionally complained about wearing them." The school mattie was attending required the students to wear uniforms. Mattie was given a list, by Harm, of a choice of schools and chose a small, female only private school. "Mattie, depending on whether you continue here for grade 13, or head back to the States for college or university, you only have one more year of having to write one of those essays, after this one." He told a retreating Mattie who was heading to her bedroom to change into something more comfortable. Mac was still in San Diego. She'd been required to serve at her post in San Diego before getting spousal relocation, and a job with the US Embassy in London. After supper, Harm told his ward to get to work on her schoolwork, and he thought back to the essay that could have had expelled from high school.

FLASHBACK Septemer 1980 La Jolla, California

"Harmon, please see me after class. "It was the second week of the school year, but his first day of school for the year. Harm waited for the rest of the students to leave and he sauntered up to her desk. "Per your mother's request you are to finish all of your missed assignments before you are released to play football, and as your home room teacher I have informed the rest of your teachers of the request. You will have "The Good Earth" read, up to chapter seven, and write an essay on it tonight. I also require that you write a five thousand word essay, detaining what you did this summer that caused your absence. You insist you want to attend a military academy. I know they expect a higher standard from their students, so I expect no prevarication. It will be typed, and double spaced. I want it by Wednesday, end of the school day. I'll write you a pass so Mr. Castleberry will not consider you tardy, asthere is no way for you to get to the PE building on time."

Harm took the form from his teacher, and left the classroom. He'd be busy for the next few days, if the rest of his teachers followed suit in the area of homework. However, he took it as a challenge, to ready him for the rigors of the Naval Academy.

Thursday morning he entered the school near the office, as he usually did. and say the Vice Principal, Mr. Bernard gesture for him to come over. "Mrs. Colvin, your homeroom teacher asked that I speak with you." Harm had no idea what he did to get the summons to the hated office, other than start school a week late. The older man sat down behind his desk and showed Harm where he could sit. "Students here at La Jolla Preparatory are expected to follow through on their required assignments. What you turned in to Mrs. Colvfin has been determined by the faculty, to be a complete work of fiction, a boatload of lies."

Harm was confused. "What, Pearl S Buck wrote 'The Good Earth' so I couldn't have written an fiction. What are you talking about Mr. Bernard."

"Rabb, we do not condonce insolence, you are on shaky ground with us, the days you missed are considered unexcused, first strike. You are being quite insolent with me, second strike, and most damning is this essay. Third strike. Therefore you must meet with your parents, your counselor, the principal, Mrs. Colvin and myself. It is scheduled for four p.m. tomorrow. Here's a pass for Mrs. Colvins' class as school has started for the day." The bell rang. Harm went to class, he kept quiet, but he was fuming the entire school day.

That evening he talked with his mother, who despite her anger at what he'd done they were in agreement with him in regards to his supposed insolence, and the essay about his summer activities. She was in his corner. Frank, who'd geen more understanding than she'd been about what had occurred was in Detroit for work, and thus unable to attend.

The next afternoon Harm and Trish Burnett, his mother, were led into the principals office. Trish waited until everyone was seated and very politely, and very firmly stated their rebuttal after Mr. Bernard gave the reason for the meeting. "Mr. Bernard, I'm going to get to the point. My son was not insolent, you did not specify which essay you were haranguing him about being full of lies. Therefore that point is moot. Harm had turned in two essays to Mrs. Colvin. The absences I do not condone, but there is nothing that can be done about that. Did you ask where Harm was?" There were shakes of the heads of all the adults in the room. "Did you consider the possibility he's just been through an ordeal?" Still more shakes of the head. "I thought so." Turning to her son she took a newspaper clipping out of the leather portfolio she had with her, and passed it to the principal, Mr. MacCowan, who looked at it, and he passed it to the other adults in the room. While that was happening he turned to her son, "Harmon William, it appears you need to prove your case to them. Tell them what you told the federal officers on Thursday and Friday, after you got back in town." "My dad was shot down Christmas Eve of 69, in North Vietnam, I believe he's still alive, and after saving money for a few years, I contacted a Mr. Stryker, who has gone to Vietnam to look for MIA's and POW's like my dad."

Mr. Bernard, who'd been stationed in Vietnam during the Tet offensive, was amazed that a mere high school student would intentionally go to the war-torn country, remembering that it was now not as war-torn. "Go on" Harm could see that at least Mr. Bernard was beginning to believe him.

"I met him in Bangkok, we slipped in the country, and met up with his contact, we spent several weeks searching, and just when we actually came very close to finding proof there were still Americans being held there" Harm's voice cracked with emotion as he told the group what happened next, "the Vietnam army started shooting, and they hit a few people in our group."

Mrs. Colvin realized that he'd left more than a few items out of the essay he'd turned in. "What happened" she asked hesitantly.

"There were some women in our group, one of the was Stryker's wife," Harm used air quotes when he said wife, "and her daughter Gym". Harm composed himself before going further. "Gym, her mom, and one of the old men were shot and killed, I joined in the shooting, I think I got a few of them, but we had to hightail it out of the country and we weren't able to get any solid proof. When we got back to Bangkok some reporter took that picture, I didn't know about it at the time, though. Before Stryker and I could go back to find more proof, there were some guys from the State Department giving me a one-way ticket home. One of them, I couldn't believe it, despite the heat he was wearing a three piece suit, I swear he was barely out of college. I flew home, and went directly to some office in LA. I spent Thursday and Friday being debriefed by the CIA, the State Department, the Navy, the Army, and the Air Force. Mom told me that if they hadn't demanded my answering their questions, I'd have been at school Thursday morning, despite what jet-lag I might be suffering from. I could argue that Thursday and Friday I was getting an intense course in government."

The principal, Mr. MacCowan, thought for a few minutes and then asked Trish and Harm to leave the room while they decided his fate. Five long minutes they were asked to return.

"It has been decided that you will not be suspended from school, much less expelled, as we expected you would be. In the future we will be more precise regarding assignments when we call students into the office. You had been multiple assignments in a short time. Two essay just in Mrs. Colvin's class so we considered your confusion as to the specific essay was understandable. We now realize, the essay in question was entirely truthful, just because something seems implausible, it may not be. As far as the absenses, we realize that you spent three days unexcused. Wednesday you were returning to the states, and because of the length of the flight, you will still have to serve detention for only Monday and Tuesday, Wednesday, you were on a plane. You had a good point regarding Thursday and Friday being instructive. On that point we request that you write a three page paper, due Monday morning, on what you can tell about that experience." Harm sighed in relief, despite the fact he now had more homework. He could handle two days of detention. Even if it meant giving up his Saturdays.

Mrs. Colvin was much more conciliatory, she knew now that she'd rushed to judgment with the earlier assignment. "I do realize that some of what you asked might fall under classification issues, so let us know only what you can tell us." Harm nodded, he could do that. The CIA had been very emphatic about Harm's not telling people about his trip.

"I think we are done here. Thank you for coming." Mr. MacCowan said, as they stood to leave his office.

Mr. Bernard, who was the JROTC instructor for the school, knew of Harm's dreams of being a naval aviator. "You know, Harm, when your flying days are over, you might consider going into law, you had a very persuasive argument."

"Me, a lawyer, no way" Harm laughed as they went from the principals office to the school doors and out into the warm September afternoon.

END FLASHBACK

Harm looked at the clock and realized that he'd spend over an hour thinking about the trip to Vietnam that he took while in high school, and the essay that could have derailed his career before it even started. His watch beeped, reminding him that Mac would call him in about twenty minutes. If she left work on time and had no major traffic issues it was her habit to call several times a week, once she got home and had a small snack. She would eat her supper after the phone call. He went into his office, and turned the laptop on. He checked the La Jolla Preparatory website. To his amazement Mr. Bernard was still there, despite being in his late sixties. The man didn't appear to have aged that much, as Harm had briefly seen him during a visit to his mother in the mid-nineties. Now the principal, it would be his final year as an educator, he was retiring after the 2005-2006 school year. Noting the email address for the educator, he mentally began to compose a note to Mr. Bernard, thanking him for unintentionally guiding his future. If Mr. Bernard responded Harm would say more, but for now he was just saying 'thank you'.

He shut down the laptop, and left the office, walking down the short hallway, noting that Mattie's room was dark, with the exception of a lit lamp, telling him that she was already in bed, the teen was still not completely recovered from the accident that had nearly killed her six months earlier.

He entered the master bedroom, walking first to the en-suite bathroom, he quickly went through his ablutions, the time on the computer necessitating an abbreviated routine. Turning off the light to the bathroom, he exited it, and went towards the bed. He'd just stripped down to his boxers when the house phone rang, he quickly answered it, just in case Mattie truly was asleep. It was Mac. He sat on the bed and they began to talk.


End file.
